I guess I feel the need to voice again. I'm sure your all in doubt about my true feelings. My comment on paying farmers less for restricted to residents of Kansas Only, is not directed at punishing farmers, I would have thought that was obvious. It is directed at the silly notion that the lessor farmer who enrolls in WIHA is somehow clamboring for or more willing to restrict access in favor of fellow Kansans. Having lived in a rural area, and owning land there now, I can tell you point blank, that most issues involving bad behavior is spawned by locals, who practice the doctrine of "what's mine is mine. and what's yours is mine too". If you don't recognize this reality, then you have never lived in a rural area for long as a landowner anywhere. I'd remind you that WIHA really isn't designed for the locals and the residents, it's an inhancement program to create opportunities for, and encourage non-res. As far as limiting hunter numbers, which I do not believe is the intent of the federal program, or the state political agenda. Look to the past. Kansas used to, and may still have a ridiculously large, 14 person limit on pheasant hunting parties. I do not think they are safe, or in the best interest of the pheasants, but big group hunting is really popular amongst the small town church groups, social groups, etc., including landowners who view it as a social event. Usually held once or twice a year after the crops are out. So you risk either unenforcability, or alienating a powerful spokes group. Lowering the daily bag on both pheasants and quail would have at least the perception of lowering expectations. In the case of quail lowering of the daily bag should coincide with the delayed opener. If there is a delayed opener, and you don't move the opener to the Nov.1st vicinity, you have a 62 day quail season for everybody, and a 62 day pheasant season for non-residents. For you vociferous newbys, and recent transplants, who don't remember, Kansas once had a November 1 opener for pheasants west of 81, with quail legal targets two weeks later, east of 81 pheasants and quail were both legal Nov. 1. The reason the Nov. 1 opener was delayed two weeks is due to the S#$t storm raised by the Kansas Farm Bureau at the request of their constituants, who complained of the season being to long, the opener to early when crops were still in the field, etc. Any effort at that change will start the fight all over, and you Kansans might find out who really has the big stick in Kansas. Hint, it ain't you! It's a shame because the earlier opener to coincide with Nebraska, Missouri, and some years Iowa, maybe Illinois and Colorado, would serve to reduce hunter numbers, who if the options were to stay closer to home for the opener or travel to Kansas, might well choose to delay the Kansas trip, and spread out the pressure. This is a practical example of how to accomplish the desire to thin the pressure out without being boorish. On the other hand this is a thinly veiled attempt to get special treatment to the detriment of others, disguised as a save the species crusade, which I suspect, than be brave enough to just come out with it, and whine on. Just because North and South Dakota do it, doesn't make it right, and they don't get my support publicly or financially because of it. I'd vote tocut off all USFG, and related funds to SD and ND till they come around. I found ways and places to hunt that are the equivelent, without the outrageous 10 day license and silly anti-nonresident treatment, more like a mark than an equal.
) for the lady shooters just as I do for youth gunners. We need more female votes on the ballots:thumbsup:
